Pleasant Grove, Dallas
Pleasant Grove is an area located in the southeast portion of Dallas less than 15 minutes from downtown Dallas.
The Pleasant Grove area is bounded by: Bruton Road on the North, Marvel Dr. on the South, Prairie Creek (the creek not the road) on the East and Trinity Forest on the West. While many people mistakenly refer to surrounding communities as "Pleasant Grove", its borders are the same as the day it was annexed by Dallas. Pleasant Grove did not annex anyone. It is only one of the 20 communities that make up Southeast Dallas which were annexed from 1945 to 1978.
History
The first settlers in the Pleasant Grove area in the 1840s included W. B. Elam, who held one of the original land grant, Richard Bruton, and Cornelius Cox. By 1875 a wooden building was used as a union church and school. An early teacher at one of the schools built in the 1880s was Don Lebow, who named the school Pleasant Grove after its location in a grove of cottonwood trees. The name was then applied to both the school and the community.
In 1900 Sam Street's map of Dallas County showed Pleasant Grove as a small community with a store. In 1916 the first brick schoolhouse was built.
In 1937 Pleasant Grove formed its own school district, which by the late 1940s had fourteen buildings.
Due to a post-World War II housing boom the population grew from 120 to 3,500 between 1943 and 1952. By the late 1940s Pleasant Grove had seven businesses, including a new bank. Businesses remained less important than the residential areas, but in 1952 Pleasant Grove Shopping Center, a major retail center, was built.
Pleasant Grove twice fought incorporation movements and remained unincorporated till June 1954 when Pleasant Grove was annexed by Dallas and the Pleasant Grove school district merged with the Dallas Independent School District.
In 1962 the Greater Pleasant Grove Chamber of Commerce was formed to promote business in the area. This organization was later expanded to cover surrounding communities, and became the Southeast Dallas Chamber of Commerce.
Recreation
Pleasant Grove is a 15-minute drive from White Rock Lake and less than a 20-minute drive to Lake Ray Hubbard.
Facilities in close proximity to or located in Pleasant Grove are:
1.The beautiful 21,000 sq.ft. Audubon Museum, with two story bird observatory, flanked by 9 miles of improved walking trails that meander through the scenic Trinity Forest, the largest urban hardwood forest in North America covering 6,000 acres.
2.An Aerial Adventure Park complete with 6 zip line courses with ladders, rope bridges, and platforms
3.The newly opened Trinity Horse Park with family adventure facilities as well as therapeutic activities for those with special needs.
4.The newly renovated Pleasant Oaks Recreation Center with all the bells and whistles including a fitness center and the only indoor soccer field in the city.
5.Many new shopping facilities and restaurants, as well as takeout. We even offer a Wal-Mart Neighborhood market. There is a full-fledged Wal-Mart within a 5-minute drive.
6.Grover Keeton Golf Course, and many parks.
7.Within minutes drive to AMC Movie Theater, go-cart track, batting cages, skating, miniature golf and assorted other fun activities.
8.Within minutes of Town East Shopping Mall and Restaurant Row.
Coming in the fall of 2016 will be a world class golf course that will begin hosting the Byron Nelson Golf Classic starting in 2019.
Education
It is within the Dallas Independent School District.
High schools that serve the Grove include: Pleasant Grove High School (1937-1956), W. W. Samuell High School opened 1956, H. Grady Spruce High School opened 1963, Skyline High School opened 1971.
In 2015 a school in a national network of work-study schools opened, Cristo Rey Dallas College Prep.
Pleasant Grove has a satellite Branch of Eastfield College of the Dallas County Community College District.
Ann Richards Middle School began serving the community in 2012.[1]
Libraries
The Pleasant Grove area is served by two public libraries.
1.Pleasant Grove Library Branch - Dallas Public Library Address: 7310 Lake June Rd.
2.Prairie Creek Library Branch - Dallas Public Library Address: 9609 Lake June Rd.
Medical
Several clinics and dental facilities including a branch of Children's Hospital. All major Pharmacies available.
Transportation
Trains
A freight line runs through the northern edge of Pleasant Grove, as does another along the edge of the Trinity Forest and US 175. The DART Green Line runs parallel to this line.
Light Rail Including Bus Service
Highways
Famous residents
- Maceo Baston grew up in the Pleasant Grove area and attended Nancy Moseley Elementary School. He plays for the Toronto Raptors in the NBA.
- John Ford Coley — partner in musical duo with Dan Seals; hits include "I'd Really Love to See You Tonight"
- Larry Johnson, former NBA player grew up in the Pleasant Grove area and attended John B. Hood Middle School and Skyline High School.
- Michael Johnson also attended Skyline High School, gaining fame as a US Olympic Gold Medalist, setting numerous world records in Men's Sprinting.
- Joe Kendall — former federal judge (1992–2002)
- Russ Martin — Host of The Russ Martin Show, a radio program in Dallas.
- C.J. Miles of the Utah Jazz grew up in Pleasant Grove and attended Skyline Career Development Center. As a senior in high school he was named to the McDonald's all-high school team.
- Carl Mitcham — philosopher of technology and engineering, now at Colorado School of Mines
- Steve Ramsey — Punter/Quarterback New Orleans Saints 1970, Denver Broncos (1971–76)
- Lulu Roman — Former Hee Haw TV show personality.
- Dan Seals — country and pop musician
- Tum TUm- Rapper
Crime
Southeast Dallas enjoys the lowest crime rate in the city of Dallas. Crime is three times lower here, than crime in either Northeast or Northwest Dallas. Eighty percent of Crime in Southeast Dallas occurs in Buckner Terrace and Bell Starr's Scyene, neither one of which are related to Pleasant Grove except they are both located in Southeast Dallas. Crime in Pleasant Grove itself is very low.
Further reading
- Pleasant Grove Historical Society ~ https://www.facebook.com/groups/156970454468433/
- Pleasant Grove & Proud Group ~ https://www.facebook.com/PleasantGroveAndProudGroup
- Miss Adas Pleasant Grove Community by Carothers, Meredith
- Pleasant Grove, yesterday and today by Samuell (W.W.) High School. 1979 English 501-503 Class
References
- ↑ "New Schools-2008 Bond Program." Dallas Independent School District. Retrieved on January 8, 2010.